Meth Addiction

Metamphetamine is an extremely addictive drug. Similar to most drugs, once abused, it could result to harmful effects towards the user’s body. Upon entering the brain, meth triggers the quick release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine which regulate feelings of pleasure. It is highly active in mesolimbic reward pathways of the brain which causes intense euphoria.

Methamphetamine has a stimulating effect on sex, mood, and energy. Methamphetamine can cause weight loss and appetite suppression. It also has positive effects on the body, like providing you to be alert and having the capacity to concentrate. Like any other drugs, overusing meth develops tolerance. Methamphetamine tires out the brain’s store of dopamine and destroys the wiring of dopamine receptors. The drug’s pleasurable effect is not everlasting. As the user takes in an increasing amount of the drug due to tolerance, negative effects to the body begin to take place. Meth addicts usually elicit poor judgment and dangerous behaviors such as committing petty and violent crimes. To maintain the pleasurable effect of the drug, the user is likely to take in increasing doses which in turn results to the damage of body organs, mental disorders, and even death. Long-time users of this drug have been known to develop symptoms of psychosis, like paranoia, aggression, hallucinations, and delusions. Furthermor, physical effects of Methamphetamine addiction are diarrhea, palpitations, and dizziness, jaw clenching and facial ticks. Meth can also lead to heart failure since it increases heart rate. Other costs include bronchial dilation, dilation of the blood vessels to the skeletal muscles, dilation of pupils and the emptying of the bladder and intestine.

In the United States, methamphetamine addiction is quite common. Statistics show that there are about 1.4 million users of methamphetamine in America and the number is increasing. The number of users is rising and it seems that the U.S. government is helpless. While readily available, meth is very inexpensive. Meth’s main targe is the youth most especially those problematic ones; ravaged by broken homes, neglect and little parental influence. A report from the National Association of Countries revealed that meth users comes from the different spectrum of the youth: from high school and college students to white and blue-collar workers.

What pushes people to using meth? Meth is easy to use, cheap, and could work as an energy booster. The attractive part of this drug is that it’s benefits even if temporary are very immediate.

Methamphetamine addiction greatly damages a person’s life. This kind of addiction leads to undesirable and unhealthy behaviors. Moreover, depriving the body from taking in methamphetamine would lead to depression, aggression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, and intense craving for the drug.

Getting away from this kind of addiction is quite a daunting task. It is like pulling your hair on your head one by one until everything is gone. Imagine the pain. It is not a one-time thing. Most of all, things work if it is a forced thing. The person addicted to meth should be first of all, be very willing and determined to battle the addiction and get rid of it for good. The motivation should not come from the people around the meth users. It should only come from the self. After accepting one’s problem, the desire to do something about it should come next. There have been a number of meth-specific programs that have been developed. The objective of treatment is to teach the addict new skills that will help cope with the user’s drug cravings and prevent relapses. Meth treatment therapies involve individual and small group approaches. Treatment allows the patient to see beyond the immediate positive effects of drug use and lead them to see the negative effects that inevitably follow. Moreover, recovered addicts are taught to handle their lives more successfully, increase their confidence and self-esteem, and set positive personal goals.

One easily gets addicted to something, yet it is so difficult to become “un-addicted” if there is such a word. Addiction is akin to letting go of a loved one, we know that letting it go is the exact thing to do, but we find it difficult to do it because we know it would hurt so bad. The determination to do should start within one’s self.